Chinese New Year 2025: China Travel Demand Surge - Spring Festival To See Foreign Tourists Flocking!

As the Chinese New Year approaches, excitement around China Travel is growing, with increasing numbers of foreign tourists eager to visit. The country’s inbound tourism is expected to see significant growth, becoming a major highlight for the 2025 Spring Festival tourism market, according to China Central Television (CCTV).

This boost in tourism is largely due to the introduction of the new "240-hour visa-free policy," which allows citizens from 38 countries to enter China without needing a visa for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, or transit purposes. Since its introduction in 2024, this policy has sparked a rapid increase in inbound tourism. Data shows that during this year’s Spring Festival, bookings for inbound travel have increased by 203 percent compared to the previous year, with the number of foreign visitors likely to reach record levels.

There has also been a noticeable rise in visa applications, particularly from countries like the US, Indonesia, and Canada. While these countries are not part of the 38 eligible nations for the 30-day visa exemption, there has been a sharp increase in requests for traditional visas. According to travel platform Ctrip, flight bookings from the US to China surged by 130 percent in January 2025, hotel bookings rose by 55 percent, and ticket sales for leisure activities increased 44 times.

It’s not just tourists from the US — visitors from all over the world are embracing Chinese culture during the Spring Festival period. For example, a German couple, Juergen and his wife, were at the Temple of Heaven, learning about Chinese culture from a tour guide. Juergen, an architect, shared that he had planned to visit Southeast Asia but changed his plans last minute to visit China because of the convenience of the new visa-free policy. He described his experience in China as “amazing,” with visits to iconic landmarks like the Great Wall and the Summer Palace.

Dylan, a 24-year-old from Ireland, also benefited from the visa-free policy, allowing him to visit China for 20 days to spend the Spring Festival with his girlfriend’s family. Dylan, surprised by the size and technological advancement of China, looked forward to watching the Spring Festival Gala and making dumplings with his girlfriend’s family. Before coming to China, he only knew fruit and cream-filled dumplings, but was excited to try the traditional meat-filled versions.

Shanghai is also seeing a significant influx of international visitors. In 2024, the city welcomed over 6 million tourists, and preparations for the Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival, along with various performances, are already underway. A Japanese traveler, Imukenbb, shared his experience of visiting the festival on TikTok, highlighting the beautiful fusion of traditional Chinese gardens and modern lighting.

A Brazilian university student, traveling with his mother and girlfriend, shared his experiences of visiting cities like Shanghai and Chongqing. He found Chinese food, particularly hotpot, unforgettable, although he noted the unique “numbing” flavor in Chinese food, which was different from the spicy dishes in Brazil.

According to Dai Bin, director of the China Tourism Academy, the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation and the joy of daily life in China have a strong appeal to foreign visitors. Many are eager to experience Chinese cuisine and engage with the younger generation of Chinese people.